I'm Only Human
by bs13
Summary: AU. I'm a criminal, and I acknowledge that. There is no reason she should trust me; my father was the one who kidnapped her. Now, facing my possible death as well as hers, we're running. We shouldn't be together like this, but we've been thrown together by the world. The only fault is she can't seem to realize that I'm a human being like she is. (Auslly)


**...I need to write something. I know I do. I just have no words. Um...this is my attempt at a Austin and Ally multichapter? I know, it seems to be rushed, and it's all very...weird, but thanks for clicking on it and giving it a try!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Austin and Ally.**

**Song for this chapter: Flowers For a Ghost (I'm Only Human) by Thriving Ivory**

**Chapter title: All I am is all I could not mention**

* * *

"The boss is pretty pissed. I wouldn't go in if I were you," the guy exiting my father's room informs me as I am about to enter the room.

"What happened this time?" I ask readily.

"Dez was supposed to kidnap some rich girl. Instead he got the daughter of a librarian or something," the guy laughs. "He's the biggest idiot in our whole team."

"He's my best friend." I say firmly. "Excuse me." I push past him and enter the room, seeing my dad there. Next to him is Dez, and behind them both, with hands and feet tied together, is a girl.

"Austin," Dad greets me. "Is something the matter?"

"Hi, Dad," I say. "What happened here?"

"Say what you want, but I _know_ I heard the daughter of the town librarian, not the daughter of the town millionare." Dez argues, and he crosses his arms challengingly. Dad looks ready to kick him out, but I quickly intervene.

"He's got a hearing problem that he'll be checking out. Right, buddy?" I say brightly. Before Dez can say anything, I kick his leg hard so he won't speak. He gasps in pain before realizing my plan.

"Yeah, I have real bad hearing." Dez looks my way and gives me an obvious thumbs up signal in a bad attempt to look sly.

"Dez, get outta here." Dad rubs his nose and Dez complies happily.

"Dad, if you want me to go get this girl, I'll go." I offer.

"No, my son," Dad says. "This situation is far from good, and our plans about taking the rich girl are delayed. I have a different job in mind for you. See this girl here?" He gestures to the girl that is tied down. I stare down at her in wonder.

She's still, staring up at us with wide brown eyes that shine with tears. Her hair is mussed and of a deep brown color, just like her eyes are. Her skin is light and fair, and there's no question she's undeniably beautiful.

"What about her?" I ask, and I begin to worry about what that could be.

"Why, you're to watch her, of course. I'm going out. _Someone_ is bound to pay a hefty sum for this girl, poor or not, and I intend to find someone who will. Your job is to make sure she's kept alive and away from the other trash in this place." Dad explains. "I know I can count on you, Austin."

"Of course you can," I mumble, and he clamps a heavy hand on my shoulder.

"That's my boy. Keep her hydrated and fed; there's water bottles over by the room corner and some minor food stuff in that basket. I won't be back soon, so I count you'll be fine to stay the night." Dad says.

"Yeah," I agree.

"This is why you're my son." Dad grins before he turns and leaves the room, closing it surely behind him. I go over to the door and I lock it nonchalantly. As I turn, however, I can see the fear registering in the girl's eyes about my simple act. I realize she's interpreting it the wrong way. I take out a small pocketknife that I keep in my pocket and I walk over to her. She visibly tenses.

"I won't hurt you," I say softly as I stop before her.

She stares at me, blinking once, and most of her tears vanish. I reach over with my knife and cut off the cloth that covers her mouth, then the one that binds her hands. I can't remove the one that binds her legs, though; Dad has stressed that enough to me at other times, prepping me for a job like this.

Her eyes fill with tears again. She bows her head and her body shakes with sobs. Her hands clench and she flexes her fingers, trying to get the feel of them. It's just then when I realize how cold it is in this room.

"Are you thirsty?" I ask.

She shakes her head. Maybe she doesn't want to talk to me even more than I feel awkward around her. I go and fetch water anyway, and I hold it out to her. She grasps it and gazes down at it before placing it to her side. She still doesn't meet my eye.

"I'm sorry this happened to you." I whisper. She stares up at that. I take off my jacket and hand it to her. "I'll go check if there's some sort of blanket here for you. Just keep this for now."

She still doesn't say anything, but she pulls the jacket over her shoulders without daring to slip her arms into the thing correctly. I look around, but I can't find anything except for a few sheets that are so thin they look useless.

"It isn't much, but you can wrap up in these," I offer, and I hold out the sheets. "Keep my jacket. I'm barely even cold." My shirt is a simple black T-shirt, but I find that I'm too troubled to be cold. The girl puts the jacket on, but she doesn't move towards the sheets because she would need to stand up to do so.

"Here," I take her hands and pull her up, which makes her jerk her hands away right off. "Sorry, but you need these." I take the sheets and wrap them around her shoulders, and she draws them in around her body. She sits back down right away, keeping her body tucked in close to her face.

I sit across from her and set to carving some wood I found in the room with my pocketknife. It's a skill I've barely begun, but already I've carved plentiful things; mostly animals and inatimate objects. I've yet to carve a person. Studying the girl, it gives me the inspiration to do so, but I push away the idea.

Dad has never entrusted me to take care of a girl he's kidnapped before. Because Dad's a scam artist only interested in money, he doesn't like to trust others with the main source of his money retrieval. Maybe the only reason he's letting me watch this girl is because he trusts me a little more and wouldn't mind if she were to get away.

The minutes tick away, and the girl stays quiet save for a few sobs. Even then they are more subdued, and the quiet increases more and more. She brushes hair from her face and I see her face is red and blotchy. I feel the pang of regret that happens every time Dad does these scams, but I ignore it like I always do. Using my thumb, I brush stray wood from my carving. I see that I've been absentmindedly carving a face. Her face.

"I'll get us some food," I say suddenly. She lifts her face further and I can see she's somewhat interested. Maybe she's been hungry for a while now; I should've said something sooner. I go over to the basket and find stuff for sandwiches. "Is there anything you're allergic to? Or anything you want on your sandwich? Something you don't? Because right now I'm just going to put bologna, lettuce, tomatoes, and cheese on it."

Still nothing.

I made the sandwich and held it out to her. She takes it and stares at it, but she doesn't move to eat it. I take a bite of my own; I hadn't eaten since the morning. After I had bitten mine, she takes a tentative bite of her own.

"You're the silent type, huh?" I try and make conversation because the silence is stifling, but I'm not sure if talking to our captive is allowed.

Captive: I hate that word. I shouldn't have thought that.

She just keeps eating, and I notice the tears that brim over her eyes. I set my sandwich down and I let my hands hang over my knees, wondering what to do. I feel so sorry for this girl, yet I don't dare to do anything. I'm about to say something else when someone comes knocking. I get up and open the door to find Dez there.

"It's your dad," Dez blurts right off. "He was taken in."

"For what?" I ask.

"Something with his car plate at first, but they kept him when they realized his car was stolen and his ID was fake." Dez explains. "See, I told him to get the unlimited warranty on it."

I resist the urge to roll my eyes- Dez is so naïve sometimes.

"What should we do?" I question further, and my eyes flicker to the girl sitting on the floor, wearing my jacket and eating a sandwich.

"Probably stay put with her. He'll be out soon enough, knowing your dad," Dez offers. "Though I'd suggest tying her up more. Or at least getting duct tape. I like duct tape. Sometimes it's shiny..."

"Okaaay...well, I think you should go and spread the news." I suggest.

"You're right. Thanks, buddy!" Dez leaves cheerfully, and I slowly close and lock the door again. I stare at the girl wonderingly before I take a deep breath, knowing I'm feeling too conflicted for my own good over the situation.

Seeing this girl so fearful I'm going to do something to her hurts me. I don't want to play the bad guy I've been doing for the past few years because my father has been making me. Looking back, I've never even resisted him. Since my mom left years ago, I was left with my dad, whom I always tried to impress. Playing along, stealing cars, kidnapping girls and boys alike; it's no life for an eighteen year old like I am.

Making a hasty decision, I reach forward and take off the last binding that constricts the girl- the one on her feet. The sandwich falls from her fingers and she shivers, anticipating what I can do.

It hurts me, but I quickly speak.

"I told you I won't hurt you, and I won't," I say quietly. I kneel down beside her and try to see into her eyes, hoping to see some kind of hope or trust. There's none, and the only thing I see is fear. "I'm busting you out of here."

She doesn't seem to trust me at all.

I get up and offer her my hand so she can get up. She doesn't move to take it, but she gets up on her own, keeping the sheets tight around her body.

"I don't believe you," her voice is shaky, but her eyes turn from reflecting fear to hatred.

"What?" I'm taken aback at her words.

"I don't believe you," she repeats. "You're a criminal."

The word sinks in. She's right, of course. I'm about to reply when someone comes banging on the door.

"Hey Moon!" A rough voice calls. "Your dad ain't here, and we heard you got a girl in there. Fancy lettin' us in on the action?"

I feel the first rays of hatred begin to simmer. The girl pales.

"Nah," I call back, "we're good. I'll open the door in a few hours, though."

"You're the man," the voice hoots before I hear footsteps receding. The girl, I notice, has moved away from me.

"Quick," I say, "just come with me; there's a back door we can slip through somewhere without anyone noticing. I can drive you back home in two hours and we'll forget this ever happened."

"I'm not going anywhere with you," the girl retorts.

"Well I'm not letting you get raped." I say.

"If you'd have told them no-"

"I can't, okay? They would find some way to tell my dad, and they'd kill me, and hurt you, and I can't risk that." I say.

"You're a messed up person," she huffs. Her eyes are piercing as they meet mine. "You shouldn't be afraid to stand up for something right."

"I didn't ask for a lecture," I mutter. "Look, are you in or not?"

"I can't trust you. Not when you're a criminal," she shakes her head.

"Then you want to stay here?" I pause, utterly confused. "I'm getting mixed signals here; you don't want to be raped, but you don't want to go with me to safety-?"

"How can I believe that you'll take me safely home instead of just killing me off in some random area of woods?"

I have to hand it to her; she's definitely read up on stuff like this. Blunt, too, and very different from the girl who was sobbing on the floor only minutes ago.

"I don't know...give it to you in writing? Or how's this: I give you something of mine. When I drop you off, you return it, and we can trust each other." I offer.

"That's stupid," she replies. "How do I know you won't kill me and _then_ take whatever is yours from me?"

Damn it, she's finding faults I haven't even found already.

"Well, then, what's your idea?"

"You can sneak me out of here and _I'll_ find my way back home," the girl stares at me as if daring me to challenge her.

"I can't do that," I reply. "Someone will be bound to find you. Here, I have another idea: what if I give you pepper spray? If I try to kill you, you can spray me."

"...Are you suggesting you will try?"

"_No_, but if it makes you feel better, you can go armed," I say.

"And you'll leave with nothing?"

"Nothing but the clothes on my back."

"And will the car have many compartments?"

"Er...I have a motorcycle with no compartments."

The girl stares at me blankly, but she sighs after a few seconds.

"Fine," she mutters, "let's go."

"Wait," I say as I open the back door, "I don't even know your name."

"You don't need to know my name," the girl says.

"In case I do." I persist as we slip outside. Placing a hand on her shoulder, I guide her away towards a small garage. She pulls away from my touch, but she follows me there anyway. I hand her a helmet and a can of pepper spray. She makes me remove everything from my pockets: my phone, wallet, and keys included. She lets me take my wallet, which I need because it has money, but I don't take my phone because according to her, I can be contacted by _other_ criminals that way. Yes, she emphasized the word "other."

We're gearing up to speed right off on the motorcycle when the girl, her helmet not on her head, pauses in front of me as I strap on my own helmet. She's swaying from side to side, looking far too nervous, before she blurts something.

"I've never ridden on a motorcycle before."

"Thats okay," I say. "Just hold on to me, and you'll be fine."

"I don't _want_ to hold on to you."

"Gee, that makes me feel great." I reply, hardly caring that her words sound childish as I tease her. "Can you put on your helmet already? We need to leave before anyone else comes."

"Why are you doing this?" She clearly won't let up. "Why rescue me?"

I stiffen.

"Because I've realized something I should've realized a long time ago," I finally say after a few agonizing seconds. She looks down, keeping a right grip on her helmet. I can see, in her pants pocket, the bulge of the pepper spray can. I fidget because at least she's _trying_, and it seems harder than when she's not.

"My name is Ally," she finally says.

"Ally? Awesome, our names both start with A." I say cheerfully. She squints at me, perhaps not anticipating my response. "Anyway, here. Get on." I start the motorcycle, and the deep rumble of the engine fills the room. Ally hesitates, but she straps her helmet on and climbs on behind me, holding onto my torso tightly. As the garage door opens, I see others milling around outside, probably curious as to who is leaving right now on a motorcycle.

We speed past, and they don't seem to realize it's me because they don't try and stop us. Breathing deeply, I push the vehichle faster, turning quickly and seeing the house we were at fading behind us. I concentrate ahead then, licking my lips and biting down on my lip as we speed off into the fading daylight, unsure of what was to come next.

**Er...did I mention I don't watch Austin and Ally? *hides* If the characters appear OOC, drop a review and tell me how I should improve, what I should avoid doing, etc. This is how I perceive the characters, not how they might really be. You'll see, though, that this story will span out more, especially with the characters. Thank you all for reading!**


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